Joanna Povall
In the world of education, school leaders are often cast in the role of strategist, problem-solver, and policy driver. Their performance is measured in attainment data, inspection ratings, and budget spreadsheets. Yet, behind these visible markers lies another metric, one that rarely appears in annual reports but is etched into the hearts of those we serve: kindness.
I was trained in an era where the prevailing wisdom was that you needed to be an assertive teacher. Kindness was definitely not part of the required professional toolkit. In the classroom, toughness was what was needed for control. The same was said to be true of leadership at that time. I was led to believe that strength meant being assertive, decisive, and being able to cope under pressure. I used to think kindness undermined authority. But gradually I changed. As I spent longer in the classroom and gained leadership experience, I began to see kindness differently. It became clear to me that true leadership begins with compassion.
What Does It Mean to be Kind?
In the context of school leadership, kindness is not niceness or passive agreeability, but a deliberate practice based in empathy, respect, and integrity. Kindness in leadership is not about pleasing everyone, avoiding conflict, or saying yes to every request. It is about communicating with emotional honesty, listening deeply, and responding with clarity and care.
To be kind involves intentional acts of compassion that are balanced with accountability. It includes offering encouragement, delivering honest feedback with respect, and demonstrating genuine concern for the mental health and wellbeing of staff, students, and families.
Importantly, kindness does not mean lowering expectations, shying away from difficult decisions or conversations. On the contrary, it means upholding high standards with humanity. It requires making tough calls with transparency and communicating them in ways that preserve dignity and trust.
In a school setting, where every interaction can shape a child’s future or a teacher’s sense of worth, kindness becomes a leadership essential. And when practiced with intention, it transforms not just relationships, but entire school communities.
What Can We Do?
To leave a legacy of kindness, it cannot hinge on individual personality alone. Kindness must become part of the school’s operating system. When it is embedded in systems and structures, it stops being the work of a single leader and becomes the collective culture of the school.
I have highlighted some actionable examples to consider in alphabetical order, not in order of priority. They are not exhaustive, but they are simple, impactful practices that can help embed kindness on a daily basis.
As you read them, you may feel that you know them all already. I am sure you do. But knowing is not the same as doing. I encourage you to reflect deeply: How are you demonstrating kindness in your leadership? How might you embed it more intentionally into your school’s legacy?
Be Consistent and Fair
Consistency and fairness are key to kind leadership. In schools,leaders must be deliberate in treating everyone with equity. Equity does not mean treating everyone the same; it means applying shared principles of respect, accountability, and care to each individual. Even subtle favouritism can destroy trust. Staff and students quickly notice when praise, opportunities, or leniency are unevenly distributed, and it breeds division, resentment, and insecurity.
Kind leaders stay aware of their biases. They reflect on who they naturally connect with and intentionally reach out to those they may overlook. Fairness also requires transparency about decisions, expectations, and feedback. When people understand the reasoning behind your actions, they are more likely to trust your leadership. Consistency sends a clear message to staff and students that they will be treated fairly. When leaders lead with fairness and consistency, they develop a school culture where people feel safe, respected, and genuinely valued. This is at the heart of kind leadership.
Be Present
I am always shocked to hear teachers say that they never see their senior leadership team. They are locked in their offices, or in meetings and rarely visit the classrooms, if ever. If you are always in your office, how can you notice what is happening in your school? Noticing people is one of the most powerful acts of kind leadership. When you notice someone’s effort, mood, or presence, you affirm their value. Noticing means acknowledging the teacher who stayed late, the student who tried again, the support staff who quietly keep everything running. It is also about noticing who is overwhelmed, who needs a check-in. You cannot do this if you are not present. Kindness begins with awareness. When leaders make a habit of being present and noticing, they create a culture where people feel seen, heard, and cared for. And in that culture, people are happy and make progress.
Schedule Connection Time
Time often gets swallowed by meetings, emails, and urgent tasks. But human connection does not happen by accident, it needs to be scheduled. Blocking out time for informal drop-ins, student celebrations, or staffroom chats is not a luxury; it’s a kind leadership priority. I have four sessions per week for staff and students. Picnic with the Principal, Assembly, Book Club and Pioneers Working Party are non-negotiable scheduled times in my diary. These interactions do not need to be long or formal, they just need to be genuine. Over time, they create a culture where people feel known and valued. And when leaders make time for connection, they embed kindness into the life of the school.
Smile and Say Hello
A smile and a simple hello may seem small, but in a school environment, they carry extraordinary weight. These everyday gestures signal warmth, approachability, and recognition. For both students and staff, they can be the difference between feeling invisible and feeling seen. In the rush of a busy school day, it is easy to pass people by without acknowledging them, but pausing to smile and greet someone is an act of kind leadership. I say this from experience. There have been times when I have been so focused on tasks that I have failed to notice those around me. The feedback was honest and humbling. Smiling and saying hello is a daily investment in belonging. It costs nothing, yet its return is immeasurable.
Walk the Walk
Kind leadership is not just about what you say, it is about what you do. “Walking the walk” means living your values visibly and consistently. In a school, every action sends a message. If you speak about kindness but lead with impatience, the message is lost. Leaders who walk the walk model what they expect from others. This kind of leadership creates trust, not because it is perfect, but because it’s authentic. People learn from your example more than your instructions. When leaders embody kindness, it becomes culture. And in that culture, people do not just hear the values, they feel them, live them, and carry them forward.
Look After Yourself
When we talk about kindness as a legacy in your school, it is essential to remember that this legacy must include kindness toward yourself. It is easy, especially in leadership, to pour all of your energy into others. We spend all of our time supporting others, while often neglecting our own wellbeing. I say this not as someone who has mastered self-kindness, but as someone who struggles with it. In fact, those who have worked closely with me will probably laugh at this reminder, knowing how often I forget to take my own advice. But that’s precisely why I am saying it.
Kindness is not just a professional value; it is a personal necessity. You cannot sustain a culture of compassion if you are running on empty. So please, take care of yourself. Rest when you need to. Set boundaries without guilt. Learn to let things go. Celebrate your progress, even when it feels imperfect. You are part of the legacy you are building, and your wellbeing is not a luxury, it is a responsibility.
We All Have to Leave Sometime.
The day will come when you hand over your keys and walk out of the building for the last time. Maybe you will move on to a position in another school, or for us older practitioners, retirement may beckon. Your classroom or office will be cleared, your inbox emptied, your name removed. But the culture of kindness you created will remain.
Teachers will still take the time to support a struggling student. Parents will still feel welcome walking through the doors of the school. People will still say good morning to each other in the corridors. That is what you will leave behind.
When all is said and done, the worth of anyone working in schools is not measured in meeting agendas, reports, or a track record of being right. It is defined by something far more elusive. The legacy we leave in the hearts and minds of others. It is in how people felt in our presence, how we behaved when no one was watching, and how we act in moments that truly mattered. It is a legacy of kindness.
Joanna Povall, Principal, Wales International School, UAE
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